WEIRD – Because NORMAL isn’t Working

That's the title of a book written by Craig Groeschel, senior pastor of Life.Church which has many U.S. satellite churches plus others around the world that use their resources. Also, from Life.Church has come the free YouVersion Bible app. Our new normal is often reading the Bible from our cell phones anywhere, any time and we can even carry it in our hip pocket!

I still enjoy my flip-through-the-pages “normal” Bible but I also enjoy the new normal of accessing my Bible app or finding scriptures I need for my blogs or my personal enrichment by simply typing in “scripture for joy; or peace; or hope, etc.” on my computer's address bar and all kinds of scriptures pop up.

When Pastor Craig wrote the book, "Wierd", he was referring to his family's lifestyle. It is one of a Christ-centered philosophy of being fully devoted followers of Christ to show people how to break out of "normal" ruts and live lives of authentic devotion to God while practicing the truths of His Word. Many folks would call that lifestyle "weird", but it's the way that has worked in my life, too. After what we've been through in the last months and even years -- I'm holding to the old normal of trusting in God's amazing grace, as well as a new normal of shifting in ways that needed to be changed anyway. Let's face it -- "normal" folks are stressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted. Many of their relationships are strained and, just surviving. So, we might as well abandon our old normal to be a little "weird", different, Christ-centered, Bible-believing,. love-dealing Christians who march to the beat of a different (but better) drum.

What have we got to lose? Oh! That’s easy to answer -- the craziness of "normal". Remember, normal, the quote goes, is nothing more than a setting on a dryer.

Many are longing for their lives to be normal again and to get back to the predictable and comfortable. But, more than likely, we will never have life as it used to be. Things will never be the same. We might as well adapt as we go and even adapt to a Christ-centered life of love and grace for our fellow brothers and sisters. It’s like changes I’ve experienced since “the good old days when chewing gum was the worst offense in school”. Really, things will never be the same. And, honestly, that may be a good thing. We shouldn’t be looking back, when we should be looking forward. Many of the changes we’ve adapted to, just might become our new normal. We have comfort in this -- one thing, rather, our ONE God, NEVER changes.

I don’t think I could say it better than the Christian music group, Jesus Culture, does in their song: “Your Love Never Fails”
[Chorus]
You stay the same through the ages / Your love never changes / There may be pain in the night / But joy comes in the morning / And when the oceans rage / I don't have to be afraid / Because I know that You love me / Your love never fails
[Bridge]
'Cause You make all things, work together for my good
You make all things, work together for my good
'Cause You make all things, work together for my good
'Cause You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good
You make all things work together for my good!”

I love that line that repeated over and over again. And, it is so true. We don’t have to have NORMAL, as it was, back again, because maybe we needed this SHIFT into a new NORMAL. We just need to keep following He Who never changes – lean on Him and trust Him to give us the wisdom and strength to advance into a new season. 2 Peter 3:14 says: “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.”

There’s a Whole Lotta Shaking Going On

Have you seen "The Chosen", a new series about the life of Jesus released during Holy Week? Oh my! It started out as a media project to raise the funding to create it, but as it turned out, it has become the largest crowdfunding project after 16,000 people invested over $10 million into it. The first season of eight episodes is available now online. I promise you, your eyes will be shifted from the brief explanations of Christ’s journeys in the Bible to expanded thought-provoking scenarios. The Chosen has an authenticity to the biblical narrative like nothing I’ve ever witnessed in faith-based media. The Bible's brief picture of Jesus’ first public miracle at the wedding of Cana is expanded to a beautiful story of what it might have really looked like then.

Director Dallas Jenkins told Fox News that now it’s been viewed by over 20 million people around the world — and that's when they knew it was a project of biblical proportions. Seriously, you MUST watch this first series. This SHIFT and this SUCCESS has happened during this pandemic. Just type: The Chosen Episode 1 in your address bar, and then, for the next seven episodes, type Episode 2, etc. The Director will give you a lot of supporting info, but you can fast-forward through that part.

My title for today’s blog is “There’s a Whole Lotta Shaking Going On”. This pandemic has certainly shaken things up in our world. You don’t need me to detail it – the changes are everywhere. It's easy to get discouraged and wonder why it happened. I believe the shaking isn’t to stop us but to shift us into a new way of thinking and living. In fact, with the right attitude it might be the trajectory for success that we've been hoping for. Like “The Chosen” project – we’ll shift into a greater awareness of creativity. God works all these shakings for our good -- IF we but believe in our DIVINE Shaker!

Let’s not go back to the same ways we used to do things. I think the reason God allowed the shaking is to shift us into something better. None of this has been a surprise to God. He’s the DIVINE Shaker-Upper. Maybe He shook things up so He could give you a better position with better benefits in a better environment. It looks like a setback, but really it's a setup.

God is still on the throne. The shaking going on isn’t to defeat us but to promote us. We might be on the brink of a miracle -- better than what we could have ever imagined. So, don’t listen to the voices that tell you your child will never get back on course or that you’re not going to get well or this virus is ruining you financially. On the contrary, let's SHAKE-UP the enemy by choosing to look at the exceeding abundance that is up ahead – that is if our Source is God! Ephesians 3:20 says: “Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us," It's time to POWER UP and kick our praise into high gear! We shall overcome!

Who Said I'm Not a Dog Lover?

Five years ago, Payton, my then 13-year-old grandson, was quite the entrepreneur repairing and selling cell phones. He earned enough money to purchase his Australian Shepherd pedigreed puppy that came with a pretty hefty price tag! They lived in the Seattle area and had to drive a couple of hours north to see and purchase him, but left him until he was old enough to be weaned from his mama. What a twosome they were!

I was a dog-liker, not a dog-lover. I lived in Tulsa and was visiting them. When I saw "Buddy" for the first time, Payton had sprayed his Papa’s (my husband’s) favorite cologne on him to be sure I was attracted to the little guy. I was. It probably didn’t take the cologne, but it sure made me want to cuddle him even more.

Fast forward five years this month, and these two “buddies” have grown up! And, so have I. Now, my visits to the Wallace’s include Buddy meeting me at the door with tail wagging and running to the back door – his indicator for me to pitch the tennis ball to him. He loves it. And, I love him! Did you catch that? I became a dog lover! What’s that about?

We are creatures of habits when we say “I’ll never have a dog or cat or we’ll remark “I’ll never eat that food or go to that place, or sit through that concert, etc., but then the habits get tossed out the window when a “shift” takes place in our thinking. Suddenly new likes and habits are acquired. Maybe you can think of something that you’d never do and you’re smiling as you read this post, because you did it and love it. The fact is life is about CHANGE.

Thank God. He never changes. He is the one constant we can assure ourselves of daily. "I am the Lord, and I do not change.” Malachi 3:6. “He’s the same yesterday, today and forever.” Hebrews 13: 8.

I love hearing stories of people who said, “I’ll never be able to give up smoking” and with grit and determination, today, they are literally “smoke-free”! And stories of an abused woman who thought she would never have a new life, and through Christ’s mercy and her tenacity, is now an overcomer.

We may waiver in our “I will never……” but God won’t. Maybe today’s a good day to say “I’ll never say never and I’ll be open to any change that makes me love greater and open up myself to whatever possibilities that God has in store for me." May we awaken to the assurance that He KNOWS ALL and if we’ll adapt to His ways, we’ll come to appreciate what we didn’t like before and even fall in love with them. Maybe part of our future includes changes that will cause us to enjoy the ride a little more! I’m throwing in the towel and opening up my mind to possibilities! How about you?

Subject to CHANGE Daily

I'm pulling my "female" card. Yes, I am a woman and I am subject to CHANGE daily. I can CHANGE my mind about this or that. I can CHANGE clothes – just because I want to. I can CHANGE occupations (and I did). I’m also a “single” so I can CHANGE TV channels whenever I so choose. Widow bonus! I can CHANGE directions if I want to (That gal in my GPS system really doesn’t know it all!). The fact is life is about CHANGE.

CHANGE – to alter, replace with another, make a shift from one to another, modify, transform, switch

Every day we experience CHANGE. You may be in that mid-life crisis aka “the change of life” stage if you're eyeing that slick convertible sports car. You may be considering moving to another city and state. CHANGE is a reminder of what it is for a season to end and a new one begin. How often have I witnessed the passing of a friend or loved one and within hours or days, in the same family, was the birth of a precious baby. That is the CHANGE and the cycle of life.

Here’s the really good news. God assures us He’s watching over all our seasons of CHANGE – all our entrances and exits: in exiting high school and entering college, in ending single life to begin married life, in leaving one job to begin another, in checking the "married" box to the "single" or "widow" box. Even in the animal kingdom, we see changes. A couple of days ago, I saw my grandson’s gecko shedding his skin – he was CHANGING. Bottom line -- among all the exits and entrances and all the in-betweens, life, in any form….is just temporary.

We can throw a tantrum, a pity party, a protest, a sit-in, a march, stay in bed and cover our heads, put our heads in the sand, wail, jump up and down and we can resist the CHANGES, but all the while, God probably shakes His head as He thinks “Why do my kids get so caught up on so much that is just temporary?” There is one guarantee in life…..CHANGE will happen. Change is something we tend to fear and become anxious about because we feel out of control. But we have this blessed assurance. God NEVER changes. "I am the Lord, and I do not CHANGE.” Malachi 3:6. He walks with us in every season of life -- no matter how easy or difficult. We can choose to accept CHANGE because God has a plan for our lives – to give us hope and a great future, and to prosper us. If we trust in God and allow the CHANGE to grow us to become more like Him in how we respond and act, then we are promised that “Everything will work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28)

God orders our days. He knows the seasons we are exiting from and He also knows those we are about to enter. It’s a new day – yesterday is gone. Why don’t we awaken to the assurance that He KNOWS ALL and if we’ll board His ways, we’ll travel higher, further and safer than we could ever imagine. I think I hear Him saying to us “I’ve got this so let go and let Me carry you through each CHANGE. Relax. Enjoy the ride. Trust Me!” Rather than resisting CHANGE – let’s embrace it and fly higher than we’ve ever been before!